In the Priorat, the name for slate shard soils is “llicorella.” My favorite kind of llicorella is the orange and blue chunks found between Porrera and Torroja. I like their sculptural shape and the striations of colors that run through them. But the majority of llicorella in the Priorat is either neutral beige or a smooth grey that glistens like silver in the sun. Some pieces are tiny, and in the beginning I liked to imagine that they were broken by the generations of people walking on them as they tended the vines. I have since learned the geology behind these variations, but I enjoy the stories my imagination conjures up.

The press consistently describes llicorella as “black slate.” However, very little of it is actually black. Llicorella comes in many shapes, depending on when and how it was geologically formed. And the colors are a result of constitution and oxidation. The misunderstanding arises when journalists visit the Priorat and have such a hectic schedule that they do not stop the car to explore the landscape they are driving through. They have no idea what the llicorella looks like, so they repeat the popular concept of black slate. Sadly, the term is far too monochromatic to adequately express the aliveness of the region.

Imagine how exciting our experiences would be if we took some time, asked more questions and became more inquisitive about the origins of the wines we enjoy. What was once a collection of vague aromas and flavors would suddenly become a vivid story of a more colorful life.

Learn more of the truth about llicorella here.